Introduction
Cotton, a fiber used in clothing and textiles, is and has been the most popular fiber in the world. In fact, most people do not realize the various fabrics made from cotton, such as velvet, denim, and flannel.
Cotton has had a long, tumultuous history in regards to U.S. history, as a material used by homo sapiens. For instance, cotton has been found to be used as fabric in the prehistoric times, with fragments of cotton also found to date back to the fifth millennium BC in the Indus Valley civilization. All throughout the world, be it with the Han Dynasty in China to the Aztecs in Mexico, or the Achaemenids in modern day Iran, cotton has been a material central to the human experience.
Cotton is typically measured by bale, a set weight and dimension. A bale of cotton equals 480 pounds; however, cotton may also be weighed in the tons (one ton is 2,000 pounds).
Cotton is part of the Gossypium genus and is an insoluble cellulose that comes from the cotton plant. It is mainly grown in tropical and subtropical climates. After it is grown, picked cotton must go through processing—where it is cleaned, fluffed, and compressed—before it can be used for fabrics.
Learn for yourself about cotton production by country in the map and charts.
| # | Country | Cotton Production | Rice Production | Wheat Production |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 5,900,000 t | 178,305,000 t | 107,590,000 t |
| 2 | People's Republic of China | 5,730,000 t | 211,860,000 t | 134,250,000 t |
| 3 | United States of America | 3,963,000 t | 10,322,990 t | 49,690,680 t |
| 4 | Brazil | 2,678,000 t | 11,091,011 t | 6,347,987 t |
| 5 | Pakistan | 981,000 t | 8,419,276 t | 25,247,511 t |
| 6 | Uzbekistan | 940,000 t | 293,451 t | 6,157,844 t |
| 7 | Turkey | 833,000 t | 980,000 t | 20,500,000 t |
| 8 | Australia | 608,000 t | 50,226 t | 14,480,217 t |
| 9 | Argentina | 349,000 t | 1,222,910 t | 19,776,942 t |
| 10 | Mali | 340,000 t | 3,010,027 t | 37,124 t |
| 11 | Benin | 332,000 t | 411,578 t | |
| 12 | Greece | 305,000 t | 287,410 t | 1,095,150 t |
| 13 | Turkmenistan | 299,000 t | 150,000 t | 1,320,000 t |
| 14 | Burkina Faso | 265,000 t | 395,443 t | |
| 15 | Ivory Coast | 240,000 t | 1,481,182 t | |
| 16 | Mexico | 231,000 t | 295,338 t | 2,986,689 t |
| 17 | Cameroon | 156,000 t | 328,503 t | 437 t |
| 18 | Myanmar | 153,000 t | 25,100,000 t | 111,215 t |
| 19 | Tanzania | 141,000 t | 4,528,000 t | 77,000 t |
| 20 | Sudan | 131,000 t | 34,133 t | 750,821 t |
| 21 | Tajikistan | 109,000 t | 99,000 t | 846,000 t |
| 22 | Nigeria | 93,000 t | 8,172,000 t | 55,000 t |
| 23 | Iran | 80,000 t | 2,000,000 t | 15,000,000 t |
| 24 | Kazakhstan | 80,000 t | 556,775 t | 14,257,950 t |
| 25 | Egypt | 70,000 t | 4,893,507 t | 9,000,000 t |
| 26 | Azerbaijan | 68,000 t | 9,397 t | 1,818,665 t |
| 27 | Spain | 66,000 t | 739,230 t | 8,143,510 t |
| 28 | Ethiopia | 62,000 t | 189,649 t | 5,478,709 t |
| 29 | Chad | 61,000 t | 278,053 t | 1,815 t |
| 30 | Zimbabwe | 57,000 t | 1,336 t | 150,000 t |
| 31 | Togo | 55,000 t | 160,000 t | |
| 32 | Uganda | 45,000 t | 200,000 t | 25,000 t |
| 33 | Bangladesh | 36,000 t | 54,905,891 t | 1,029,000 t |
| 34 | Zambia | 27,000 t | 34,630 t | 191,620 t |
| 35 | Syria | 25,000 t | 2,848,472 t | |
| 36 | Mozambique | 23,000 t | 137,243 t | 15,000 t |
| 37 | South Africa | 23,000 t | 3,076 t | 2,109,100 t |
| 38 | Malawi | 22,000 t | 145,446 t | 697 t |
| 39 | Peru | 19,000 t | 3,436,637 t | 187,851 t |
| 40 | Colombia | 16,000 t | 3,424,119 t | 6,295 t |
| 41 | Kyrgyzstan | 12,000 t | 44,474 t | 629,052 t |
| 42 | Senegal | 12,000 t | 1,349,723 t | |
| 43 | Israel | 8,000 t | 116,691 t | |
| 44 | Kenya | 4,000 t | 180,890 t | 404,700 t |
| 45 | Paraguay | 4,000 t | 1,187,768 t | 1,302,870 t |
| 46 | Indonesia | 3,000 t | 54,649,202 t | |
| 47 | Thailand | 2,000 t | 30,231,025 t | 1,423 t |
| 48 | Vietnam | 2,000 t | 42,758,897 t | |
| 49 | Morocco | 1,000 t | 46,275 t | 2,561,898 t |
Cotton Production by Country
Argentina
Cotton Production
349,000 t
Ranked in the World
#9
1,222,910 t
Ranked in the World
#35
19,776,942 t
Ranked in the World
#11
Australia
Cotton Production
608,000 t
Ranked in the World
#8
50,226 t
Ranked in the World
#85
14,480,217 t
Ranked in the World
#13
Azerbaijan
Cotton Production
68,000 t
Ranked in the World
#26
9,397 t
Ranked in the World
#99
1,818,665 t
Ranked in the World
#42
Bangladesh
Cotton Production
36,000 t
Ranked in the World
#33
54,905,891 t
Ranked in the World
#3
1,029,000 t
Ranked in the World
#50
Benin
Cotton Production
332,000 t
Ranked in the World
#11
411,578 t
Ranked in the World
#51
Brazil
Cotton Production
2,678,000 t
Ranked in the World
#4
11,091,011 t
Ranked in the World
#9
6,347,987 t
Ranked in the World
#21
Burkina Faso
Cotton Production
265,000 t
Ranked in the World
#14
395,443 t
Ranked in the World
#52
Cameroon
Cotton Production
156,000 t
Ranked in the World
#17
328,503 t
Ranked in the World
#55
437 t
Ranked in the World
#119
Chad
Cotton Production
61,000 t
Ranked in the World
#29
278,053 t
Ranked in the World
#60
1,815 t
Ranked in the World
#108
Colombia
Cotton Production
16,000 t
Ranked in the World
#40
3,424,119 t
Ranked in the World
#23
6,295 t
Ranked in the World
#102
Egypt
Cotton Production
70,000 t
Ranked in the World
#25
4,893,507 t
Ranked in the World
#17
9,000,000 t
Ranked in the World
#17
Ethiopia
Cotton Production
62,000 t
Ranked in the World
#28
189,649 t
Ranked in the World
#65
5,478,709 t
Ranked in the World
#24
Greece
Cotton Production
305,000 t
Ranked in the World
#12
287,410 t
Ranked in the World
#58
1,095,150 t
Ranked in the World
#48
India
Cotton Production
5,900,000 t
Ranked in the World
#1
178,305,000 t
Ranked in the World
#2
107,590,000 t
Ranked in the World
#2
Indonesia
Cotton Production
3,000 t
Ranked in the World
#46
54,649,202 t
Ranked in the World
#4
Iran
Cotton Production
80,000 t
Ranked in the World
#23
2,000,000 t
Ranked in the World
#28
15,000,000 t
Ranked in the World
#12
Israel
Cotton Production
8,000 t
Ranked in the World
#43
116,691 t
Ranked in the World
#79
Ivory Coast
Cotton Production
240,000 t
Ranked in the World
#15
1,481,182 t
Ranked in the World
#31
Kazakhstan
Cotton Production
80,000 t
Ranked in the World
#24
556,775 t
Ranked in the World
#45
14,257,950 t
Ranked in the World
#14
Kenya
Cotton Production
4,000 t
Ranked in the World
#44
180,890 t
Ranked in the World
#66
404,700 t
Ranked in the World
#65
Kyrgyzstan
Cotton Production
12,000 t
Ranked in the World
#41
44,474 t
Ranked in the World
#87
629,052 t
Ranked in the World
#59
Malawi
Cotton Production
22,000 t
Ranked in the World
#38
145,446 t
Ranked in the World
#73
697 t
Ranked in the World
#117
Mali
Cotton Production
340,000 t
Ranked in the World
#10
3,010,027 t
Ranked in the World
#24
37,124 t
Ranked in the World
#88
Mexico
Cotton Production
231,000 t
Ranked in the World
#16
295,338 t
Ranked in the World
#56
2,986,689 t
Ranked in the World
#33
Morocco
Cotton Production
1,000 t
Ranked in the World
#49
46,275 t
Ranked in the World
#86
2,561,898 t
Ranked in the World
#38
Mozambique
Cotton Production
23,000 t
Ranked in the World
#36
137,243 t
Ranked in the World
#75
15,000 t
Ranked in the World
#94
Myanmar
Cotton Production
153,000 t
Ranked in the World
#18
25,100,000 t
Ranked in the World
#7
111,215 t
Ranked in the World
#80
Nigeria
Cotton Production
93,000 t
Ranked in the World
#22
8,172,000 t
Ranked in the World
#14
55,000 t
Ranked in the World
#87
Pakistan
Cotton Production
981,000 t
Ranked in the World
#5
8,419,276 t
Ranked in the World
#13
25,247,511 t
Ranked in the World
#7
Paraguay
Cotton Production
4,000 t
Ranked in the World
#45
1,187,768 t
Ranked in the World
#37
1,302,870 t
Ranked in the World
#46
People's Republic of China
Cotton Production
5,730,000 t
Ranked in the World
#2
211,860,000 t
Ranked in the World
#1
134,250,000 t
Ranked in the World
#1
Peru
Cotton Production
19,000 t
Ranked in the World
#39
3,436,637 t
Ranked in the World
#22
187,851 t
Ranked in the World
#73
Senegal
Cotton Production
12,000 t
Ranked in the World
#42
1,349,723 t
Ranked in the World
#33
South Africa
Cotton Production
23,000 t
Ranked in the World
#37
3,076 t
Ranked in the World
#102
2,109,100 t
Ranked in the World
#41
Spain
Cotton Production
66,000 t
Ranked in the World
#27
739,230 t
Ranked in the World
#43
8,143,510 t
Ranked in the World
#18
Sudan
Cotton Production
131,000 t
Ranked in the World
#20
34,133 t
Ranked in the World
#89
750,821 t
Ranked in the World
#57
Syria
Cotton Production
25,000 t
Ranked in the World
#35
2,848,472 t
Ranked in the World
#35
Tajikistan
Cotton Production
109,000 t
Ranked in the World
#21
99,000 t
Ranked in the World
#78
846,000 t
Ranked in the World
#54
Tanzania
Cotton Production
141,000 t
Ranked in the World
#19
4,528,000 t
Ranked in the World
#19
77,000 t
Ranked in the World
#85
Thailand
Cotton Production
2,000 t
Ranked in the World
#47
30,231,025 t
Ranked in the World
#6
1,423 t
Ranked in the World
#110
Togo
Cotton Production
55,000 t
Ranked in the World
#31
160,000 t
Ranked in the World
#70
Turkey
Cotton Production
833,000 t
Ranked in the World
#7
980,000 t
Ranked in the World
#40
20,500,000 t
Ranked in the World
#10
Turkmenistan
Cotton Production
299,000 t
Ranked in the World
#13
150,000 t
Ranked in the World
#72
1,320,000 t
Ranked in the World
#45
Uganda
Cotton Production
45,000 t
Ranked in the World
#32
200,000 t
Ranked in the World
#63
25,000 t
Ranked in the World
#91
United States of America
Cotton Production
3,963,000 t
Ranked in the World
#3
10,322,990 t
Ranked in the World
#11
49,690,680 t
Ranked in the World
#4
Uzbekistan
Cotton Production
940,000 t
Ranked in the World
#6
293,451 t
Ranked in the World
#57
6,157,844 t
Ranked in the World
#23
Vietnam
Cotton Production
2,000 t
Ranked in the World
#48
42,758,897 t
Ranked in the World
#5
Zambia
Cotton Production
27,000 t
Ranked in the World
#34
34,630 t
Ranked in the World
#88
191,620 t
Ranked in the World
#72
Zimbabwe
Cotton Production
57,000 t
Ranked in the World
#30
1,336 t
Ranked in the World
#106
150,000 t
Ranked in the World
#75
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